


Competitive

by dragonesdepapel



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 14:12:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5420066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonesdepapel/pseuds/dragonesdepapel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Good luck dude, you'll need it. She's vicious."<br/>Adrien found it hard to believe that those words could be applied to sweet Marinette, but the confident look that the girl sent his way had him thinking twice about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Competitive

Marinette is a normal girl with a normal life. Well, almost. But there's something about her that no-one knows, because she has a secret: she is probably the most competitive person you'll ever meet. 

It's not like she _wants_ to be. Believe her, she's tried _so_ hard not to be like that but she just can't help it. She needed to win. Be it sports, board games, bets, puzzles, video games, it didn't matter. Once she had been challenged she could not stop until the victory was hers. Of course she wouldn't go as far of cheating or being mean to do it, but she could come close. 

Alya knew. They had been friends for far too long for her not to notice. It hadn't taken her long to figure it out but she hadn't known the true extent of her friend's competitiveness until a particularly rough game of monopoly. There had been some yelling. Marinette was not proud of herself for that one. But it was ok, because Alya could give as much as she could take. (Or at least Marinette hoped so.) 

Her parents were fine with it too. (But they didn't really count, they had to love her no matter what.) She suspected she got it from her mother. She had noticed that her father had a weird way to phrase things sometimes. Like he purposely avoided implicating that her mother wasn't capable of doing certain things.  

But Marinette did her best to conceal it around other people.  

(There had been an incident when she was around twelve. She had been playing a game with one of her friends and two other boys that neither of them knew very well. Marinette hadn't _betrayed_ her friend because there were not teams but she had consciously made a move that benefited one of the boys instead of her friend. He was the one with the lowest score and therefore the smallest threat! She won, of course. But it hurt her friend that Marinette would choose a stranger over her. Marinette realized that she might had a problem.) 

It wasn't that Marinette was a sore loser, thank you very much! She could accept defeat. She wouldn't throw a tantrum just because things didn't play out like she wanted them to. But she needed to _try._ She needed to know that she had tried every available way, thought of every possible strategy. (And yes, manipulation and intimidation were strategies in her book. You see why she had to keep it hidden?) 

She thought she had been doing great the last few years, if she could say so herself. No-one at school knew about her little secret. Yes, she still cared way too much about winning but she could keep it under control. She could refrain herself from making particularly mean (but advantageous) moves. She could keep quiet and not influence others with her words. She could even loose on purpose to give others a chance.

And then that cat had showed up and thrown all her efforts away. 

The whole saving the city thing pushed her to win, to do better. She couldn't deny that she got a rush from defeating akumas. One would think it was the perfect game for her. She had a rival that needed to be defeated at all costs by the use of strength, brainpower, resourcefulness and teamwork. But she wasn't thinking about winning when she faced them. She didn't allow herself to think like that, to be that selfish. She needed to think about protecting the city, the civilians, her partner and the akuma victim themselves.  

So no, that wasn't the problem. It didn't affect her competitive streak at all. The problem was, without a doubt, Chat Noir. 

That infuriating kitten had started turning everything into a competition since the first time he had said "race you there". (Ok, we are going to be completely honest here. At the time Marinette thought he meant it as a challenge. Now she thinks it might have been just an expression. Whatever, the harm was done now.) It had gotten to the point where he didn't even need words anymore. He'd just do an unnecessarily complicated (but impressive) maneuver while jumping from rooftop to rooftop and then he'd look at her with a smug smile. And that was it. She would cave right in. It was a bit pathetic, really, to be manipulated that way. (But she almost always won so she didn't really care.) 

(Yeah that was a complete an utter lie. She did care. She felt like that was a game lost everytime. But she just couldn't _resist_.) 

The worst part was that it wasn't just that. Aside from the more obvious challenges and games that he presented her with, there was...well... everything else. Every conversation with him felt like a challenge. Between his terrible puns, his flirting and his witty remarks he always kept her on her toes if she wanted to win. Yes, of course you can win a conversation. You just need to have the last word. And she won this a lot too. (Sometimes by yo-yoing away as soon as she had said her comeback but that didn't count as cheating, right? It's not like he couldn't do the same thing.) 

It was her favorite game and she couldn't get enough of it. 

* * *

 

Adrien Agreste was competitive. That was a fact. He liked to win. But most importantly, he loved a good challenge. 

As a child, he didn't spend much time with other kids so he had to learn how to entertain himself. He discovered quickly that it didn't take much time for him to get bored. So he spent his time looking for things that could caught his interest and keep it. 

He found that he liked puzzles and riddles and things that kept him thinking about them for hours, trying to figure out the solution. But he didn't care much about the _answers_ , he was way more interested in the process. So he spend his whole life seeking challenges. (He could admit that he sometimes made things even more difficult that they already were to achieve this. Other times it was entirely because of bad luck and he should not be judged.) 

He supposed it was a good thing that his father had always been so rigorous with his education, because it meant that he always kept his mind occupied. (Or maybe he wouldn't need to be constantly distracted if his father had paid him a little more attention, he wasn't sure.) There were a few classes that were mandatory but, for the most part, Adrien was allowed to choose whatever he wanted to learn.  

Being home schooled for most of his life, regular school had been a fascinating experience for him. He wasn't going to lie, he got bored in class sometimes. He was used to going at his own rhythm  so having to slow down for the rest of the class to catch up was a pain sometimes. (Not that he was complaining, he knew he couldn't expect everyone to learn at the same time and was more than ok with it.) But the best part was all the _people_. He finally had kids his age to spend time with and more than just a handful of teachers. 

People, he had realized, were the most interesting puzzle. Well, not necessarily _everyone_. But most of them. (He wasn't saying that some people weren't interesting or that they were a waste of time. It was just that some people showed themselves exactly as they were and some didn't. Adrien wanted to unmask them all.)  

It was a bit ironic that soon after this revelation he found a ring that granted him magic, heroism and a partner.  

It didn't take him much time to decide that Ladybug was the most important mystery that he could ever solve. It did take him a while to figure it out that it was because he had fallen for her.  

But from an objective point of view (a thing that Adrien would probably never reach), Ladybug was a wonderful enigma. And he didn't mean just who was hiding behind the mask (although sometimes the need to know was so strong that it erased every other thought) but also everything that made her...well, _her_. (Adrien kept a mental list of everything he knew about her. The words kind, courageous, intelligent, fearless and compassionate were at the top.) 

He also learned something vital about her: she couldn't resist a challenge. Adrien had stumbled upon it completely by chance but once he understood what it was all about he had latched onto it and hadn't let go. It was amazing how little it took for her to spring into action. 

He was a bit worried at first, thinking that it might make her reckless in battle. (He really didn't want to know what her reaction would be if she discovered that he had once applied that word to her.) But it soon became obvious that his fears were unfounded. Ladybug was as focused as always. (He used the word focused because it's a pretty safe word, it didn't leave much room for divagation.) 

But it was just too good to ignore it. Besides, it wasn't like he was using his knowledge for evil. (Or at least he hoped so.) He thought it might be selfish. It was partly because he was Chat Noir. And Chat Noir got to do things that regular Adrien didn't get to do. Like be playful. And a bit reckless. And have fun. (Ok now he was just being dramatic. He had fun as Adrien too.) But mostly because he loved the proud smile that would light up his Lady's face whenever she won one of his dumb games. (He also loved the smile that she got when she was about to wipe the floor with him and she knew it, but that one was also kind of terrifying.) 

(He did let her win on purpose sometimes. Adrien hoped she never found out, he valued his life too much.) 

So he had found the perfect challenge but discovered not only that he'd prefer to just have all the answers but also that he'd rather like it if she was the one to give them to him.  

* * *

The lunch period was about to end and most of the class was already in the classroom, talking in small groups. Marinette was on her seat, working on a math problem that she hadn't had time to finish the night before. She didn't see Nino and Adrien walk through the door but she did hear them, along with the rest of her classmates. 

They were talking about a fighting game that was quite popular when they were kids. Everyone on the class had played it at least once and most of them had very fond memories of the video game. Nino's claim of being the best at it was received with skepticism and some indignation. Soon the whole room was engaged in an intense discussion in which every participant declared their mastery of the game. 

In the end they decided to settle the issue with an old fashioned tournament. Alix and Kim both still had the game and the corresponding console in perfect working conditions. They would meet the next day at Alix place because she had two TVs that they could use to make things faster. 

The TVs were in different rooms, so they split in two groups. Each of them would make their hold their own tournament and the winner would face the winner of the other group.

Marinette felt confident. She hadn't played the game in years but the controls were pretty simple and she remembered that she had spent as much time on it as her parent had allowed her when it first came out. But she was careful and mostly played it safe until she beat a few opponents and was sure that she had it under control. 

Unlike his classmates, Adrien didn't feel the need to prove that he was the best at the game. Mostly because as soon as he started playing it was clear that he was still really good at it. It wasn't easy because some people on his group were skilled too, but none of them seemed too determined to win either, so he got no real satisfaction from defeating them. Except for Nino of course. He was as good as he had said, and for a moment Adrien thought he might win. But Adrien Agreste did nothing but thrive in the adversity. Nino tried every trick he could think of, going as far at trying to distract his best friend by taunting him. It kind of backfired, because now Adrien was really enjoying the game and was completely focused on winning. Which he did, in the end. Nino was devastated, but he had to let it go quickly if he wanted to support his friend in the final round of the tournament. 

Adrien shook hands with Nino, congratulating him on his good fighting. He thought about going to the other group to watch what should be their last match but decided against it. They were probably about to be done, and then everyone would make their way back to the room he was in because it had the biggest TV.  

He stood up and walked around a little, stretching his legs and his hands after being playing for so long. He wanted to ask his friends if they knew who was ahead of the other competition but the few people that were still there said that they hadn't left since he started his match with Nino. Adrien had been playing most of the time so he hadn't really paid attention when they had announced the winners of each fight. 

He heard some commotion (was that applause?) followed by the sound of footsteps. Soon his classmates made their way back to the living room and started filling the empty spots. Everyone seemed to be talking about the match they had just watched but Adrien couldn't make out who the winner was. 

A defeated looking Kim appeared at the doorway and approached Adrien.  

"Good luck dude, you'll need it. She's vicious." He mumbled, before getting a seat close to the TV. 

Adrien was about to ask who he was talking about when he saw Alya and Marinette. They were laughing at something that someone had said, but then Marinette looked at him and smiled. But it wasn't one of her usual shy smiles, far from it. It was a big, calculating smile. A smile that told him exactly who he had to face on the final match and who she thought was going to win. _She's vicious_ Kim had said. Adrien found it hard to believe that those words could be applied to sweet Marinette, but the confident look that the girl sent his way had him thinking twice about it. He smiled back at her, thinking that things seemed about to get interesting. 

While Adrien had landed a handful of quiet, subdued opponents, the opposite had happened to Marinette. She was ok at first but then she had had to fight Chloe. She was good, not spectacular, but she made up for that with a never ending chain of insults. It was supposed to irritate her and make her lose focus and it had actually worked for Chloe on her previous match, but Marinette wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. She ignored her for the most part but replied once in a while, when the comeback was just _too_ good not to use it. And the offended noises that she got from the blonde were totally worth it. But it was _Chloe_ , and to be honest Marinette had enjoyed having an excuse to make her bite the dust. (She knew that she was being petty, she did not particularly care.) 

But the girl hadn't plan on being so... intense the rest of the competition. Her next opponents, however, had another plans. They played with all they got, and soon Marinette found herself doing the same. But she was careful, never taking it too far. Just once, after giving a decidedly harsh reply, she found herself looking at Alya, trying to make sure that she hadn't crossed a line. But her friend had waved her concerns away and her adversary didn't seem hurt by her remark so Marinette had let it go and went back to enjoying the game. 

Kim was her last opponent before the big final. He was relentless and resourceful and Marinette decided to stop worrying and just focus on the game. It was a long, difficult battle that had their classmates with their eyes glued to the action happening on the screen. 

So you could say that Marinette was a bit drunk on her victories. She hadn't expected to make it this far. (That was a lie too. She was always sure she would win, right until the moment that she didn't.) But she had made it, and she wasn't going to let anyone, not even her crush, stand in her way to the ultimate glory. 

"Good luck" Alya told Marinette once they were in front of the TV. 

"I don't need it" replied her friend with wink. (Yes, a wink. Marinette had winked and Adrien had seen it, but for some reason he was having hard time processing it.) 

While everyone got comfortable to watch the battle between the two finalists, Adrien was trying to reconcile everything he had seen and heard in the last few minutes with the mental image he had of Marinette. The blonde  _knew_ that she wasn't really shy and that her behavior around him wasn't the norm for her. (It had taken him a while to figure that out though.) He wasn't sure _why_ , but the fact was that something about him made the poor girl a mess. There were instances were he had seen her more confident side, but they were sparse and it was never directly pointed at him, so her atittude now still came as a shock. 

His musings were interrupted when Nino handed him the controller. Adrien shook his head and tried to concentrate on the task at hand. Everything seemed to indicate that beating Marinette was going to require all his attention. (And that he was going to enjoy it.)  

Nino reminded the assembly that whoever won would be granted the title of Best Player Ever (seriously, had no-one thought of a better tittle?) and they would get bragging privileges for life. Adrien looked briefly at his opponent, but she caught his look and smirked. The boy instantly turned his head towards the TV, and he heard Marinette chuckle. (He didn't have time to ponder why that smirk had felt so familiar and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out anyway.) 

The match finally started and both teens quickly lost themselves in it. Neither of them gave the other an inch, being merciless on their attacks. At some point Marinette made her character retrocede until it reached the limit of the arena. 

"Already running away?" asked Adrien, feeling bold.  

"Just thought you might need a break" she answered swiftly before making her character jump behind his and shower it with a myriad of punches. 

And it was like that little exchange had opened the doors to something else. Soon they were bantering as if it was something that they did everyday. It wasn't just that they were too focused on the game to question it, it was that it so easy to exchange teasing remarks that they didn't even have to think about it. It felt as natural as talking to their superhero partners. (They both had had this thought. They both had discarded it as soon as it appeared.) 

Marinette won the first round, but Adrien won the second. They barely noticed, too caught up in competing with each other, but their classmates were completely engrossed in the fight as well. They cheered when their favorited landed a good punch and booed when the opposite happened. There was even a betting pool (most of the money was on Marinette.) 

The girl was a bit worried when the third round started. Adrien was a great opponent and he had as much of chance as her to win. She was tense and she was grabbing the controller with more force than necessary. But her exchanges with Adrien never waned and they never turned malicious. They teased each other, even laughing out loud at some times. (Later Alya would swear that she heard some flirting. Marinette would roll her eyes and claim that she was delusional.) 

Adrien was much more relaxed than Marinette. (Not that he would know. He couldn't risk looking at her so he just had her voice to judge, and she sounded as cool and confident as she had at the start of the match.) He was struggling to keep up with her and he _was_ trying to win, but he was having so much fun that he thought he didn't really care about the result. Which was a good thing, because he lost. (Marinette had let out a squeak of joy while pumping her fist in the air as soon as the screen announced her victory, and Adrien found out exactly how little he cared about winning.) 

The room erupted in cheers (and some groans.) Alya gave her a big hug and Adrien waited until she let her go to approach Marinette. 

"Congratulations" he said, and proceed to do a deep bow that made her giggle. 

"Thank you. You weren't so bad yourself" she answered with feigned surprise. 

"But not as good as you."  

"Never." There was that smirk again. 

"Perhaps you could grace me with the opportunity to prove myself to you another time." 

"If you think you can handle it..." she tried to act nonchalant, but she was sure that the reddening of her cheeks gave her away. (She had _no_ idea how she was pulling this off, but she was hoping it would last.) 

More of her friends started offering their congratulations so they got separated. Adrien let her go for the time being but didn't plan on letting it last too long. He had discovered that there was much more to Marinette than he had originally realized and he had decided that he'd rather like getting to know her better. He felt comfortable around her now, like maybe he wouldn't have to pretend as much with her. (Some part of himself warned that this was a dangerous way to think, but he decided to ignore it.) 

He knew that the girl may revert to her (un)usual shy self as soon as she could, but that didn't worry him. He loved a good challenge and was great at solving puzzles and, right now, he wanted nothing more than to figure out the truth behind Marinette Dupain-Cheng. 

 

 


End file.
